Antique Engraved White Metal Pot?

[KevinM]

This is an old pot I purchased a few weeks back from the thrift store and can't find another one like it. The pot is made of hard white metal and quadruple plated. It weighs about 2 3/4 pounds and is about 10 1/2 inches wide from the outside of the handles and about 5 inches in height.

The pot is stamped "Middletown Plate Co. Quadruple Plated 1130 Hard White Metal 3 B.C."

My first question is should I polish this pot or leave it with a pewter like soft satin finish?

I'm going to guess the white metal is nickle and some other base metal like copper and the Quadruple Plate is silver?

I know MiddleTown Plate Co (Middletown CT) started in 1864 then was taken over in 1899 by International Silver Co. like a lot of other companies around that time. I'm trying to narrow down the date of this pot. Would this pot be from the earlier or later period of 1864 to 1899?

What would this pot have been used for and would it have had a lid that went with it?

Thanks for any help!
Kevin

[bbc-antiques.co.uk]

Looks like Brittania metal  regards Martin

[ghopper1924]

It's a beauty, looks to have aesthetic elements; I'd date it to the 1880s. Although I personally like polished items, I'd hold off on this one. It looks great as it is.

[KevinM]

bbc-antiques.co.uk, you're right, it does look like Brittania metal to me too, not pure pewter. I has the patina more like that of a pewter than a silver. Quadruple Plated Brittania metal?

ghopper1924 thanks, I think it looks like a beauty too. 1880 is probably about right. Once again I can't find another item like the one I have. Seems to happen to me a lot. I'm with you on the polishing of items like silver and silver plate but I'm up in the air on this one. I think it looks great this way but I think it would look great either way. But, once it's polished, it's polished and there is no going back and that's is why I have waited.

[mart]

looks like a sugar bowl !!  how big is it ??

[KevinM]

mart, it does look like a sugar bowl, but a very large version of one! This bowl would probably hold about a gallon of water. It's about 8 inches wide on the top rim and about 5 inches tall in height. From the outside of both handles it measures about 10 1/2 inches in width.